Method of producing a sport shoe bottom with fittings therein



2 A. BENTE 3,302,227

METHOD OF PRODUCING A SPORT SHOE BOTTOM WITH FITTINGS THEREIN Feb. 7, 1967 Filed March 14, 1963 FIG. 7

NVE N TOE I O /5 m J Benin B Y: 111 iehael S. Strik A T 70H NE Y produced, for example, by vulcanization.

United States Patent 3,302,227 METHOD OF PRODUCING A SPORT SHOE BOTTOM WITH FITTINGS THEREIN Alfred Bente, Gutenbergstrasse 11, Herzogenaurach, Germany Filed Mar. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 265,142 2 Claims. (Cl. 12142) The present invention relates to a method of producing the shoe bottom of a sport shoe in which inserts are anchored to permit fittings such as spikes, cleats, or

the like to be secured to the shoe bottom. Each of these inserts generally consists of a socket which has a retaining plate or winglike projections or the like on the end which faces the inside of the shoe when the insert is fitted into the shoe bottom. This insert may be provided with an internal screw thread into which the threaded stud on the fitting may be screwed so as to permit the latter again to be removed from the shoe bottom to be exchanged for another.

7 Prior to this invention, these sockets were secured in the shoe bottom consisting of an insole, an outer sole and possibly also an intermediate sole by being driven into the bottom from the upper or foot side thereof after the bottom was completed. This was done by means of a percussion tool with which a sharp blow was struck with such a force upon the insert or the retaining plate that the tubular part of the socket was driven through all of the soles of the bottom. The retaining disk or other projections on the insert then came to rest on the upper side of the insole and more or less projected therefrom. The unevenness produced thereby on the insole had a painful effect upon the foot of the wearer and often resulted in blisters.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage by the provision of a new method of manufacturing the bottoms of sport shoes.

According to the method of the invention, the socket inserts are first driven into the shoe bottom and thereafter the insole is subjected to such a pressure that the retaining disks or other projections on the inserts are so far embedded in the insole that the upper surfaces of the disks or projections are flush with the upper surface of the insole. Consequently, after applying the method according to the invention, there will no longer be any unevenness on the upper surface of the insole. Preferably, the insole is heated when the pressure is applied thereon which facilitates the complete embedding of the edges of the retaining disks or projections on the inserts.

In carrying out the invention, it is advisable to apply the pressure upon the insole while the upper is drawn upon a last, preferably of metal. To facilitate the embedding as mentioned above, the last is preferably heated.

These and additional features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 shows a cross section of a part of a bottom of a sport shoe with a socketlike insert according to the conventional type of construction; while FIGURE 2 shows a cross section of a part of a bottom of a sport shoe with a socketlike insert which is produced according to the inventive method.

In both the conventional type of construction, as shown in FIGURE 1 and the construction according to the invention, as shown in FIGURE 2, the shoe bottom consists of an insole 1, a hard intermediate sole 2, for example, of nylon, and an outer sole 3 which may be The lower 3,392,227 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 'ice edge of the upper 4 is lasted on the underside of the insole.

According to the conventional method, as shown in FIGURE 1, the inserts 5 are are driven from above, that is, from the foot side, into the shoe bottom after the same is completed, that is, after the outer sole 3 is vulcanized on the intermediate sole 2. Each of these inserts consists of an internally threaded socket 6 with a retaining plate 7 on its upper end from the lower side of which prongs 8 project which penetrate into the insole 1 and thereby prevent the insert from turning when a spike, cleat, or the like is latter screwed into socket 6. As shown in the drawing, socket 6 penetrates through all of the soles 1, 2, and 3 of the shoe bottom and its lower end is flush with the lower side of the outer sole 3. On the upper side of the insert, however, the retaining plate 7 is only partly forced into the insole 1 and its upper surface therefore projects above the upper surface of the insole 1 rather than being entirely in align-face of the insole 1 rather than being entirely in alignment therewith. This unevenness of the insole causes discomfort to the wearer and results sooner or later in blisters on his foot. 1

If the shoe bottom is manufactured according to the invention, however, the inserts are driven into the insole and the intermediate sole before the outer sole is secured to the lasted upper by the application of heat and pressure. Thus, after the inserts are driven in, the upper is drawn over the last of a vulcanizing or plastic press and thereafter the outer sole is vulcanized or molded upon the lasted upper under a temperature of about to C. and a pressure of several thousand atmospheres. This manner of operation has the advantage that the heat and pressure which is applied for producing the outer sole is also utilized for pressing the retaining plates or other projections on the upper end of the inserts fully into the insole. Since the upper is left on the hot last for a relatively long period of time, for example, 10 to 15 minutes, it can always be definitely relied upon that the insole will be molded so that its upper surface will be perfectly smooth and even with the retaining plates or projections on the inserts and the latter will be fully embedded in the insoles. The new method has the further advantage that since during the vulcanizing or molding of the outer sole the material thereof is temporarily liquid, the ends of the sockets which are embedded in the outer sole are much more firmly enclosed by the material thereof than is possible with the known method in which the sockets are driven into the already-finished outer sole.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, What I claim is:

1. A method of producing the shoe bottom of a sport shoe comprising the steps of initially driving into the shoe bottom from the foot side thereof a plurality of inserts having large retaining flanges on the upper ends thereof and adapted for removably securing fittings to the lower side of the outer sole, so that, after said inserts are driven in, said flanges at least partly project above the foot side of the insole, then applying the shoe upon a last, heating the last so as to heat the insole, and exerting upon the last and thus upon the foot side of the insole such a molding pressure that the flanges will be completely embedded in the insole and the surface of the foot side of the insole will be substantially in alignment with the upper surfaces of the inserts.

2. A method of producing the shoe bottom of a sport shoe comprising the steps of initially driving at least into the insole of the shoe bottom before the outer sole is molded thereto a plurality of inserts having large retaining flanges on the upper ends thereof and adapted for removably securing fittings to the lower side of the outer sole, so that, after said inserts are driven in, said flanges at least partly project above the foot side of the insole and the other ends of said inserts project from the lower side of the insole, applying the shoe upon a last, heating the last, and then applying the outer sole under heat and pressure so that the projecting ends of the inserts are firmly impressed into the outer sole and the outer sole is secured to the insole and the upper and,

due to the back pressure of the last upon the insole, the 15 4 insole is molded so that the flanges will be completely embedded in the insole and the surface of the foot side of the insole will be substantially in alignment with the upper surfaces of the inserts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,809,194 6/1931 East 36106 2,229,868 1/1941 Newell. 2,895,236 7/1959 Melchiona 3667.5

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. H. HUNTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SHOE BOTTOM OF A SPORT SHOE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF INITIALLY DRIVING INTO THE SHOE BOTTOM FROM THE FOOT SIDE THEREOF A PLURALITY OF INSERTS HAVING LARGE RETAINING FLANGES ON THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF AND ADAPTED FOR REMOVABLY SECURING FITTINGS TO THE LOWER SIDE OF THE OUTER SOLE, SO THAT, AFTER SAID INSERTS ARE DRIVEN IN, SAID FLANGES AT LEAST PARTLY PROJECT ABOVE THE FOOT SIDE OF THE INSOLE, THEN APPLYING THE SHOE UPON A LAST, HEATING THE LAST SO AS TO HEAT THE INSOLE, AND EXERTING UPON THE LAST AND THUS UPON THE FOOT SIDE OF THE INSOLE SUCH A MOLDING PRESSURE THAT THE FLANGES WILL BE COMPLETELY EMBEDDED IN THE INSOLE AND THE SURFACE OF THE FOOT SIDE OF THE INSOLE WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE UPPER SURFACES OF THE INSERTS. 